It's an iPhone with a hat!

Apple has a new phone, and it's more of the same. Is it a genius move or the sign of a more conservative Cook-era Apple?

I've got to give it to Apple. Only the Cupertino marketing juggernaut could release a heavier, coloured version of the same phone that's been available for a year and dress it up as a new product release. True the iPhone 5c is a tad cheaper but from 'just' $739 it's hardly affordable. Indeed Apple have actually increased the entry level price for an iPhone by dropping the sale of the iPhone 4.

I'm not sure it's the right move. Many, including me, were expecting a ~$400 iPhone lite to help grow Apple's market share in emerging markets. Now, in and of itself a cheaper, lower margin phone wouldn't be a winner, and may even cannibalise more expensive iPhone sales, but maintaining and expanding its customer base is critical to keeping developers interested. And it's those developers and the nifty apps they make that makes the iPhone so attractive in the first place - and keeps Apple's sales ticketing over.

It reminds me of a hilarious episode of The Simpsons where Lisa decides to compete with Malibu Stacy - the Simpson's parody of Mattel's Barbie dolls. When sales of her Lisa Lionheart threaten Malibu Stacy it releases a new version of their doll with a hat - that's it. Have Apple just done the same thing? And was it a smart move?

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